Ireland visit - yay!

[Debroos]

New Grange is astounding as is Knowth next door.
Trev does very good itineraries. We went to lots of his suggestions when we went north.
Can't remember if I mentioned National Museum ot Ireland in Castlebar. Another must...

You can get rid of your rubbish at recycling centres if you don't use campsites. About 5 euro a sack.
You do realise you need at least 2 months

 

[alcam]

Nice hotel food hall in Ballyshannon opisite the chrurch as you go in, few we shops in town to have a nosey.

Pub I frequented in Glasgow ran a bus to the Ballyshannon festival . Went a couple of times .
Extremely jolly time was had

 

[mariesnowgoose]

You do realise you need at least 2 months

I know

That's why I'll pay a bit extra for flexible ferry return dates...

 

[mariesnowgoose]

how long do you need to be house-sitting? and do you have to be physically at the house most of the time? just wondering as that area of Ireland is pretty bleak and boring. (would fly to Knock to go over to Co. Roscommon. not the nicest bit of the country )

The actual length of time housesitting is just a week, but I've been invited to turn up a couple of days beforehand to familiarise myself with everything.

No, I'm not permanently tied to the house, apart from looking after a couple of cats and making sure all plant life needing it is watered and checked etc.

Not the nicest bit of the country - who cares? I'll have plenty time to go exploring further afield afterwards.

I'm only there for a week. It's not a prison sentence, it's in a comfortable house with 3 and a half acres of grounds with a very interesting environmental project just starting, and a couple of cute moggies for company. Sounds pretty idyllic from where I'm standing!

I don't get bored all that easily. I enjoy my own company and I'll be able to catch up with some proper reading for a start and - not least of all! - I'll be tucked away far from the bleedin' madding crowd... !

 

[winks]

Have a great time kiddo.

We went on a three week jaunt almost twenty years back and the place was fabulous. We just followed the coast around the north, went to Rathlin and wound up at Westport before heading east again via Athlone (because it’s a long wave station) and on to Dublin for a while before going north again for the ferry at Larne.

A good insight to the Irish ways can be got from reading Round Ireland With A Fridge by Tony Hawkes.

Cheers

H

 

[mariesnowgoose]

Ferry tickets now purchased

 

[mariesnowgoose]

Have a great time kiddo.

We went on a three week jaunt almost twenty years back and the place was fabulous. We just followed the coast around the north, went to Rathlin and wound up at Westport before heading east again via Athlone (because it’s a long wave station) and on to Dublin for a while before going north again for the ferry at Larne.

A good insight to the Irish ways can be got from reading Round Ireland With A Fridge by Tony Hawkes.

Cheers

H

Read that book a few years back, Harold, might read it again...

A small group of us went round Southern Ireland on Harleys a few decades back, doubt the countryside will have changed all that much.

But my youth and vigour is long gone, so I shall be pacing myself and taking it gently, with long lead times to arrive at whatever destination looks good...

 

[alcam]

Read that book a few years back, Harold, might read it again...

A small group of us went round Southern Ireland on Harleys a few decades back, doubt the countryside will have changed all that much.

But my youth and vigour is long gone, so I shall be pacing myself and taking it gently, with long lead times to arrive at whatever destination looks good...

Keep a lookout you might get your hands on another youth .
Vigour ? Maybe less likely

 

[barryd]

Are you going to the south Marie? If so go here.

Larkins Bar & Restaurant, Garrykennedy, Co. Tipperary

Larkins Bar & Restaurant - Award Winning Bar, Restaurant and Lakeside Venue, great food, cosy pub with warm atmosphere and traditional music weekly.

larkins.ie

So many happy memories from my late teens / early twenties in the 80s. Lough Derg is fantastic. Well it is in the summer!

About 9 or 10 of us would go across in a knackered old Commer Caravanette and pick up cruiser for a couple of weeks.

That pub used to be the centre of the universe for music back then. No idea what its like now. Its where I played in a session band with Roger Waters. If you go ask Denise Larkin if she still remembers me. I bet she does.

 

[Debroos]

Have a great time kiddo.

We went on a three week jaunt almost twenty years back and the place was fabulous. We just followed the coast around the north, went to Rathlin and wound up at Westport before heading east again via Athlone (because it’s a long wave station) and on to Dublin for a while before going north again for the ferry at Larne.

A good insight to the Irish ways can be got from reading Round Ireland With A Fridge by Tony Hawkes.

Cheers

H

Great book. His journey was followed as he was doing it on Irish radio. Very amusing

 

[Debroos]

Are you going to the south Marie? If so go here.

Larkins Bar & Restaurant, Garrykennedy, Co. Tipperary

Larkins Bar & Restaurant - Award Winning Bar, Restaurant and Lakeside Venue, great food, cosy pub with warm atmosphere and traditional music weekly.

larkins.ie

So many happy memories from my late teens / early twenties in the 80s. Lough Derg is fantastic. Well it is in the summer!

About 9 or 10 of us would go across in a knackered old Commer Caravanette and pick up cruiser for a couple of weeks.

That pub used to be the centre of the universe for music back then. No idea what its like now. Its where I played in a session band with Roger Waters. If you go ask Denise Larkin if she still remembers me. I bet she does.

There's a grand aire at the top of Lough Derg at Portumna

 

[alcam]

Are you going to the south Marie? If so go here.

Larkins Bar & Restaurant, Garrykennedy, Co. Tipperary

Larkins Bar & Restaurant - Award Winning Bar, Restaurant and Lakeside Venue, great food, cosy pub with warm atmosphere and traditional music weekly.

larkins.ie

So many happy memories from my late teens / early twenties in the 80s. Lough Derg is fantastic. Well it is in the summer!

About 9 or 10 of us would go across in a knackered old Commer Caravanette and pick up cruiser for a couple of weeks.

That pub used to be the centre of the universe for music back then. No idea what its like now. Its where I played in a session band with Roger Waters. If you go ask Denise Larkin if she still remembers me. I bet she does.

Especially if you broke her bed too !

 

[wildebus]

The actual length of time housesitting is just a week, but I've been invited to turn up a couple of days beforehand to familiarise myself with everything.

No, I'm not permanently tied to the house, apart from looking after a couple of cats and making sure all plant life needing it is watered and checked etc.

Not the nicest bit of the country - who cares? I'll have plenty time to go exploring further afield afterwards.

I'm only there for a week. It's not a prison sentence, it's in a comfortable house with 3 and a half acres of grounds with a very interesting environmental project just starting, and a couple of cute moggies for company. Sounds pretty idyllic from where I'm standing!

I don't get bored all that easily. I enjoy my own company and I'll be able to catch up with some proper reading for a start and - not least of all! - I'll be tucked away far from the bleedin' madding crowd... !

well, if i knew you were not actually house sitting but really CAT sitting, it would be different just remember orish cats meiow in gaelic, and like chowder and not tins of tuna

 

[barryd]

There's a grand aire at the top of Lough Derg at Portumna

Haha! We spent a wild night there once in the pub with a lock in. Circa 1986 I would think. I fell in the lough at the marina carrying load of cans of beer but managed to keep hold of it all.

 

[mariesnowgoose]

Small world, ey Barry?

When we went over to Ireland on the bikes (that was late 80s too) we stayed on the western shores of Lough Derg as our base for a few days before moving on. It was the holiday home of the family of a work colleague I’d helped out with something and they offered use of it while we were over there as a thank you.

Fab place right on the shoreline (water used in the house was actually pumped up and filtered from the lough) with its own jetty and boat with an outboard we could use. We picnicked out on one of the islands with old ruins one of the days we were there. You had to be careful with the boating - if the weather gets bad on that lough people have lost their lives.

Remember walking up the hill to the local pub every night we stayed there, always packed to the rafters with locals and plenty of music and walking (rolling more like! ) back down the hill in the wee small hours

 

[barryd]

Small world, ey Barry?

When we went over to Ireland on the bikes (that was late 80s too) we stayed on the western shores of Lough Derg as our base for a few days before moving on. It was the holiday home of the family of a work colleague I’d helped out with something and they offered use of it while we were over there as a thank you.

Fab place right on the shoreline (water used in the house was actually pumped up and filtered from the lough) with its own jetty and boat with an outboard we could use. We picnicked out on one of the islands with old ruins one of the days we were there. You had to be careful with the boating - if the weather gets bad on that lough people have lost their lives.

Remember walking up the hill to the local pub every night we stayed there, always packed to the rafters with locals and plenty of music and walking (rolling more like! ) back down the hill in the wee small hours

Yep your not kidding about Lough Derg. Its like the sea when it gets rough. I've always wanted to go back but never have been since the late 80s. They were brilliant trips. Supposed to be Mayfly fishing trips but not much fishing went on.

 

[trevskoda]

With that much time then when ready do go into Donegall town, 2 bucks to park 24 hrs at front harbour, then head up to errigal mtn and dont mis the national park and house tour.
You can also stay the night at dunlewy centre, nice walks and lough below errigal.

 

[barryd]

With that much time then when ready do go into Donegall town, 2 bucks to park 24 hrs at front harbour, then head up to errigal mtn and dont mis the national park and house tour.
You can also stay the night at dunlewy centre, nice walks and lough below errigal.View attachment 139765View attachment 139771View attachment 139772View attachment 139773View attachment 139776View attachment 139777

Looks Fab Trev.

 

[mariesnowgoose]

Dug out some photos from the Lough Derg house, got me going on a proper trip down memory lane now, Barry!

Planning the day ahead - no sat navs then, or mobile phones. I still love paper maps…

 

[trevskoda]

When up there do Dunree fort, british ww1 and irish used this up to and just after ww2.